Ornamental lighting fixture



March 29, 1949. 1 P. TUTTLE. 2,465,700

ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Aug. 4,` 194'? FIG l. FIG. 4.

INVENTOR LOUISV P. TUTTLE ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,465,700 ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING FIXTURE Louis P. Tuttle, Grlendala` Calt.

Application August 1 Claim. l

This invention relates to ornamental lighting xtures and in particular to Christmas tree lights.

One object of the invention is to provide ornamental lights for Christmas trees. Another object is tol provide an ornamental electric light i'iX- ture which may be removably connected to a pair of conductors at any position thereon. A further object is to provide means for making removable electrical connection to a lighting x" ture.

These and other objects are attained by my invention which will be understood from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section showing a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the means for making electrical connection;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a typical removable light-transmitting ornamental figure for use with my fixture.

Referring to the drawings, my light xture consists of a body having an electrical lamp socket I2 mounted thereon and preferably embedded therein, the threaded terminal I3 and the central button terminal of the socket being electrically connected by the conductors I5 and I6, each of which is provided at its other end with a sharp-pointed electric contact'l member |1. The members I1 may be single-pointed, but are preferably three-pointed as shown to insure electrical contact. The contact members I1 are preferably embedded in the walls I8 of a cylindrical cavity I9 arranged coaxially with the socket I2 on the underside of the body I I. The conductors l5 and I6, preferably wires, are embedded in the body II, which is conveniently made of plastic insulating material, for example, polystyrene. Openings on opposite sides of the wall I8 are provided for the entrance and exit of a pair of side-by-side insulated electric conductors 2|, the sharp contact members I1 being disposed on opposite sides intermediate the openings 20 with the points I1 adjacent the conductors and positioned to penetrate the insulation 22 to make electric contact with the embedded metallic core 23. The core may be single or multiple strand wire.

A cavity I9 is provided with a closure member 24 having a cam piece 25 extending into the cavity I9 between the electric conductors 2|, said cam 25 being shaped so that upon turning, it

4, 1947i,v Serial No. 765,872

presses both conductors 2| into contact with the respective adjacent sharp points |11, to there- -by make electrical Contact with the metallic cores 23. The closure member 2d is provided with lips 26 which are adapted to engage a flange 21' extending outwardly from the walls Iii surrounding the cavity I9, gaps 28 being provided in the flange 21' to permit the entrance of the lips 2G. Upon turning the closure member 24, the cam 25 presses the conductors 2| into contact with the sharp points I1 and atA the same time locks the closure member on to the body Ii by frictional engagement between lips 28 and the outstanding llange 21.

The closure member 24 is also provided with a spring clamp 29 adapted to attach the fixture to an object to be ornamentally lighted, for example a limb of a Christmas tree, L.

The body II is conveniently provided with a reflector surface 3| arranged coaxially with the socket I2. The sock may also be provided with an upwardly extending threaded boss 32 adapted to make threaded engagement with a collar 33 which surrounds and encloses the miniature lamp 34 in the socket I2. The collar 33 may be conveniently made of light-transmitting material such as clear or translucent plastic. The upper edge 35 of the collar 33 is provided with threads 36 adapted to make threaded engagement with an ornamental object such as for examples, the candle 31 (as shown in Fig. 1) or the reindeer (as shown in Fig. 4). The ornamental objects are preferably made of light-transmitting molded synthetic plastic materials upon which clear or sand-blasted surfaces may be provided to produce diierent lighting effects. Various ornamental objects may be substituted for the representative candles and reindeer, as shown in the drawings.

When the collar 33 is made of light-transparent material, a soft glow is reflected from the reilector surface 3| to the ornamental object and gives varied and pleasing ornamental lighting effects.

The advantages of my invention, particularly for Christmas tree lighting, will be apparent. By using a pair of flexible insulated electric wires to carry the electrical current, the ornamental fixtures may be attached at any position along the conductors by merely placing the conductors in the channel provided between the cam 25 and the walls I8 of the body and then turning the cam so that the closure member is secured to the body and at the same time the electrical connection is made between points I1 and the An ornamental lighting xture comprising a body having an electric lamp socket mounted cen- ,l trally thereon and a reiiector surface surrounding said socket, said reiiector being adapted to receive downwardly directed light from a. lighttransmitting ornament mounted above said socket, said body having on its upper side an outside threaded hollow boss coaxial with said socket adapted to support an inside threaded collar, and said body having on 1ts lower side opposite said exit of a pair of side-by-side insulated electrical conductors, and sharp-pointed electrical contact members electrically connected to said socket terminals embedded in opposite positions in said wall with said points directed inwardly and adapted to penetrate the insulation to make elecrotation of said closure adapted 4 trical contact with said conductors; a threaded collar attachable to said boss, the upper end of said collar being arranged for removably attaching a light-transmitting ornament; and a closure member for the cylindrical cavity in said holder, including a cam member extending into said cavity between the side-by-side conductors afnd adapted upon rotation to press each of said conductors into contact with one 0f said pointed members, and ange-engaging lips arranged to pass through the gaps in said ange and upon to frictionally engage said iiange; and spring clamp means attached to said closure member for removably at- Htaching the fixture to a Christmas tree or the like.

LOUIS P. TUT'ILE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,060,278 Nelson Apr. 29, 1913 1,171,710 Freixas Feb. 15, 1916 1,954,756 Kidston et al Apr. 10, 1934 2,134,356 Clemence Oct. 25, 1938 2,235,231 Mattis Mar. 18, 1941 y FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 341,265 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1931 

